Tuesday, December 18, 2012

After waiting F-O-R-E-V-E-R, it's finally the two-week countdown to THE ESSENCE, which makes me so incredibly, crazy happy I can't even tell you!

And because we're down to those last two weeks, I have some updates for you:

First, mark your calendar for January 1st (you can just cross off that whole "New Years Day" thing) for THE ESSENCE release date!!!

Second, I'm coming to San Francisco! Well, Menlo Park, but close enough. I'll be at Kepler's Books on Friday, January 4th at 7:30PM with authors Lauren Bjorkman and Stacey Jay. If you're in the Bay Area, mark your calendars because I totally want to see you. And if not, you can order signed and/or personalized copies of THE ESSENCE from Kepler's, either by phone at (650) 324-4321, or on their website (just follow the directions they have listed). And YAY, Kepler's, for making this option available!

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

In honor of the amazeballs Elana Johnson's birthday, Christine Fonseca has organized an OnlineBirthday Extravaganza so that all of us can celebrate everything Elana does for writers and readers everywhere! And besides wishing Elana the most cra-mazing birthday evah, there is also a giveaway of a bunch of awesome books (including the complete collection of Elana's!).

Check out how easy it is to enter:a Rafflecopter giveawayHappy birthday, Elana. I hope your birthday is better than unicorn poop!

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Welcome to YA Scavenger Hunt! This tri-annual event was first organized by author Colleen Houck as a way to give readers a chance to gain access to exclusive bonus material from their favorite authors...and a chance to win some awesome prizes! At this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each author, you also get a clue for the hunt. Add up the clues, and you can enter for our prize--one lucky winner will receive one signed book from each author on the hunt in my team!But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only be online for 72 hours!

Go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page to find out all about the hunt. There are TWO contests going on simultaneously, and you can enter one or all! I am a part of the RED TEAM--but there is also a blue team offering you the chance to win an entirely different set of signed books!

If you'd like to find out more about the hunt, see links to all the authors participating, and see the full list of prizes up for grabs, go to the YA Scavenger Hunt homepage.

SCAVENGER HUNT PUZZLE

Directions: Below, you'll notice that I've listed my favorite number. Collect the favorite numbers of all the authors on the red team, and then add them up (don't worry, you can use a calculator!).

Rules: Open internationally, anyone below the age of 18 should have a parent or guardian's permission to enter. To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed entry form by Sunday, December 2nd, at noon Pacific Time. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.

J.A. Souders was born in the heartland with an overactive imagination and an
over abundance of curiosity that was always getting her into trouble. She first
began writing at the age of 13, when she moved to Florida and not only
befriended the monsters under the bed, but created worlds for them to play
together.

Because she never grew up, she decided she’d put
her imaginary friends to work and started writing. She still lives in the land
of sunshine and palm trees with her husband and their two children.

Since the age of three, sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters has
been trained to be Daughter of the People in the underwater utopia known as
Elysium. Selected from hundreds of children for her ideal genes, all her life
she’s thought that everything was perfect; her world. Her people. The Law.

But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, accidentally
stumbles into their secluded little world, she’s forced to come to a startling
realization: everything she knows is a lie. Her memories have been altered. Her
mind and body aren’t under her own control. And the person she knows as Mother
is a monster.

Together with Gavin she plans her escape, only to learn that
her own mind is a ticking time bomb… and Mother has one last secret that will
destroy them all.

Now for the top secret bonus material. An exclusive sneak peak (only a few pages of the full version) of the English version
of A DARK GRAVE, which is a prequel of RENEGADE specifically from
Gavin’s POV and will be released in the US in December! Click on the phrase bonus material below to be taken to a special link, then enter the password: GAVIN

And don't forget to enter the contest for a chance to win a ton of signed books, including a copy of THE ESSENCE (by me), RENEGADE by J.A. Souders, and more! To enter, you need to know that my favorite number is4. Add up all the favorite numbers of the authors on the red team and you'll have all the secret code to enter for the grand prize!

CONTINUE THE HUNT

To keep going on your quest for the hunt, you need to check out the next author, Joy Preble!

And because it's the holiday season, I've decided to keep on giving by adding an extra giveaway here on my site! You can enter to win signed and/or personalized copies of THE PLEDGE, along with an advance copy of THE ESSENCE (The Pledge #2), which is due out January 1st. (I'll also throw in a cool Pledge/Essence swag pack including signed bookmarks, stickers, a Passport, and poster!)

All you have to do is fill out the Rafflecopter form (below) and you're entered. How easy is that?

Thursday, November 22, 2012

I’m not usually one for sappy, overwrought holiday wishes, but I just wanted to let you all know that I’m thankful for another wonderful year with the most amazing group of readers and friends! Thank you so much for all of your continued support, you have no idea how much you guys mean to me!!!

Now, enjoy some Thanksgiving memes...and an adorable kitten...

And yes, there is a song called "It's Thanksgiving." With over 10 million views. You're welcome.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Violet thought she’d
made peace with her unique ability to sense the echoes of the dead and
the imprints that cling to their killers…that is until she acquired an
imprint of her own. Forced to carry a reminder of the horrible events of
her kidnapping, Violet is more determined than ever to lead a normal
life. However, the people who run the special investigative team Violet
works for have no intention of letting her go.

When someone close
to Violet becomes a suspect in a horrific murder, she finds herself
pulled into a deadly hunt for a madman with an army of devoted
followers. Violet has survived dangerous situations before, but she
quickly discovers that protecting those closest to her is far more
difficult than protecting herself.

The Body Finder series
has been praised as a “delectable blend of mystery and romance” (The
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books), a “fast-paced, compelling
read” (ALA Booklist), and as “imaginative, convincing, and successful
suspense” (Kirkus Reviews). With a perfect blend of romance, intrigue,
and suspense, Dead Silence continues this gripping series, delivering
unexpected twists that will keep readers guessing until the very last
page.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

In honor of Halloween, the Supernatural Underground is doing a HUGE Halloween giveaway of 24 awesome Paranormal books, including a signed copy of The Body Finder (a great Halloween read, if I do say so myself!).

It's crazy-easy to enter, all you need to do is follow the steps in the Rafflecopter, fill out the form, and wait to hear if you're the BIG WINNER!

And just check out all the cool books you can win:

The Body Finder and swag by Kimberly Derting (I mentioned this is a great Halloween read, right?)Nightspell by Leah CypessAscension by Sable GraceAfterlifeandFathom (e-book) by Merrie DestefanoA Blood Seduction by Pamela PalmerWrong Side of HellandTo Hell And Back (both e-books) by Juliana StoneThe Heir of Night, US edition by Helen LoweDream of Asarlai trilogy (Secret Ones, Power Unbound, Rogue Gadda) in e-book by Nicole MurphyNight Forbidden by Joss WareAngel's Ink by Jocelynn DrakeA Devil Named Desire by Terri GareyTatsania's Gift (e-book) by Kim FalconerDarkness Becomes Her by Jaime RushLast Vamp Standing by Kristin MillerDiamond Eyes by AA BellWanted: Undead or Alive by Kerrelyn SparksOne Grave at a TimeandOnce Burned by Jeaniene FrostDiaries of an Urban Panther by Amanda AristaCarrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon

Monday, October 1, 2012

In honor of the kids being back in school (YAY!), and the fact that I’m crazy excited about my shiny new DEAD SILENCE posters, I’m
offering up your very own DEAD SILENCE and/or THE PLEDGE posters for your
classroom or library. (Or maybe for your
bathroom at home because, really, how would I know???)

All I need from you is the mailing address of your school or
library, and I will drop this puppy* in the mail!

*Not an actual puppy.

Sorry, international educators, this one’s US only. (If I
could pay my international postage in hugs, then you’d all be included!) Also posters are limited. Once I'm out, I'm out...so availability is on a first come, first serve basis.

Instructions: Simply email me: kim (at) kimberlyderting
(dot) com and let me know where to send said poster(s), and whether you’d like
DEAD SILENCE, THE PLEDGE, or one of each!It’s that easy!

Friday, September 28, 2012

After my husband and I bought our first house, I remember moving
all of our crappy furniture inside. You know, the hand-me-downs we’d collected
from friends over the years, the cheap plywood stuff from IKEA that we’d (incompetently) put
together, our yard sale finds—all of which, sadly, ended up in our shiny new home. Suddenly, none of our stuff seemed to belong
anymore. But worse, I remember looking around this fancy new neighborhood and realizing I
didn’t really belong either. These new
neighbors of ours were old pros. I mean they knew things like how to fertilize their lawns
and when to wrap their pipes for the winter (and what did “wrapping your pipes
for the winter” even mean, anyway?). I
was very aware that I was the newbie at all this, and I was intimidated knowing
that I would eventually have to meet these people and then they would know the truth:
That I was a big fat faker who didn’t really belong in a place like this. I was
clearly out of my league.

So what does buying our house have to do with writing? Well,
that moment was exactly how I felt
when I first became a published author. I was convinced that sooner or later
someone would realize I didn’t belong because I clearly didn’t know the rules
of the game. I was sure that I, unlike
every other author out there, was the only one who doesn’t know exactly what I was doing. Once again, I felt like a total and utter and complete fake!

Because the truth is, I just make this writing stuff up as I go!

And not only that, but I do it differently with each and every
book. I still haven’t figured out the right way to do it. The formula.

The rules for writing a book.

Flash back to two years ago, when I was on the San Francisco
leg of the first Smart Chicks Tour with some of the most megastar authors I’d
ever met...and, yes worshipped like a lovestruck fangirl. We were in a library,
with about 300 people crammed in it, and we started taking questions from the
audience when someone singled me out.
ME! With a question...just for
me!!! I was so excited to be recognized among these super-fantastic rockstar
authors, that I almost didn’t realize that the person asking the question had
finally figured out my deep, dark secret: I had no idea what I was doing!

Him (or at least in my memory it was a “him”): I’ve always
heard you should never start a book with an alarm clock going off or a prologue.
And you do both. How did you get away with that? (Or something to that effect.)

Me:Ummmm.... (And
then) Ummmmm....

Thankfully, one of the other authors, who was more
experienced and witty and, well, NOT shell-shocked, spoke up and said something
charming and hilarious and saved me from utter humiliation. But it made me
question: What are these rules, and why do I not know them?

Well, here’s the hard truth. There are no rules. None. And anyone who says differently is full of total
horse shit (sorry to be so blunt about it). But it’s true. There are guidelines,
sure, and you may (or may not, if you want to be truly avant-garde) adhere to
them, but there’s really no right way to write a book.

Let me repeat that last bit: THERE IS NO RIGHT WAY TO WRITE
A BOOK!!!

I mean this from the bottom of my writerly writer’s heart. I
know authors who outline heavily. Seriously, outlines that could be considered novellas!
And I know others who sit down and start typing away with absolutely no idea
where each scene will take them, like an adventure. There are those of us who use
commas like confetti and others who abhor them. I know people with aversions to
certain words like “that” or “to” or...“moist.”
And I know others, still, who write only on every other Sunday while
wearing purple velvet pirate hats and nibbling on chocolate-covered croissants.
(Fine, I don’t know anyone who does that last thing, but you get my point,
right?).

I write every manuscript in whichever way allows me to simply get
that story out of my head and onto the paper. It’s different for each book, and
sometimes it’s different for each chapter.
I continue to try different things to see if they’ll work for me, and I
continue to throw out those things that don’t work.

And for what’s it’s worth, we bought our first (and only)
house fifteen years ago. Since then we brought home our youngest baby daughter
to that house and have raised our family there. We’ve had graduations and birthdays
and celebrated holidays year after year. Those neighbors who I was so nervous about meeting all those years ago, are now some of my best friends in the world, and
I hope to grow old with them as we wrap our pipes for the winter, fertilize our
lawns, and watch our babies leave the nests.

Friday, September 14, 2012

With over 250 people in attendance, Vegas gave the Smart Chicks the warmest of welcomes, making us feel all warm and fuzzy inside! They laughed at our jokes, gave us hugs, and stood in line for up to two hours. It was a rockin' night!!!

Look at the adorable chocolates from the event! (Okay, so I might have gotten the Beautiful Redemption one upside-down!)

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

So, I've put together a whole lotta ways for you to earn points to win these advance copies, as well as a chance to win some of the really cool swag I've ordered for these books.

I know, I'm excited too!!!!

Here's how the whole shebang's gonna go down:

We're gonna have two SEPARATE giveaways (one for each book). Be sure to enter the right one (or both!) so that all of your entries count. Both giveaways will run from today until next Wednesday, September 5th, and all you have to do is fill out the Rafflecopter forms below!

Simple. As. Pie!!!

And speaking of pie, YALLFest is just around the corner. Check out my Events Page for all the details and to see where else I'll be this Fall!

Monday, August 13, 2012

I just found out that THE PLEDGE has been nominated for the 2013 YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults list. This is such a super huge honor...especially when you look at the other books that have also been nominated!!!

Can I just say how much I love YALSA and libraries and librarians, and that I can hardly believe how lucky I've been to have such fabulous readers and awesome support? You guys, all of you, are the very, very best!!!!!!

Sunday, August 12, 2012

If you've read my blog for a while, you've probably heard me mention these two books once or twice, as they definitely land on my all-time faves reading lists. But now these books are being made into ginormous film franchises and I, for one, am rabidly(!!!) watching all the pre-production news (casting, set locations, filming dates, etc) since I can't wait to see them in full technicolor (do we even have technicolor anymore?) on the big screen!!!

The first one is BEAUTIFUL CREATURES by Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia, a book I've gushed and gushed about. This southern gothic series is a gorgeous blend of amazing characters and fantastic writing and the most incredible imagery. It's going to be cinematic eye candy!

And not only will it be beautiful to behold, it's got the most talented cast, with the likes of Emmy Rossum as Ridley, Jeremy Irons as Uncle Macon, Academy Award nominee Viola Davis(!) as Amma, Emma Thompson playing the dual role of Link's mom AND Serafine, and about a zillion other amazing actors!!! You can see the full cast here and you can even get your first glimpse of this magical set here!

BEAUTIFUL CREATURES, the movie, is set to release on February 13th 2013, and the next (and final) installment in the BEAUTIFUL CREATURES series, BEAUTIFUL REDEMPTION, hits stores October 23rd.

The second book that I've raved about is CITY OF BONES by Cassandra Clare. I may have actually mentioned once or twice that Ms. Clare is at risk of receiving a lady kiss from me if I ever see her again. I love her books that much! Okay, I love Jace that much!

Either way, THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS: CITY OF BONES has that all important green-light from Hollywood and is set to start filming on August 15th (yes...just three days from now!!!). And talk about casting...this cast is swoonworthy to the nth degree!

And, oh yeah, there are some girls in this movie too. The super talented Lena Headley is playing Jocelyn (Clary's mom), and Clary, herself, is being played by gorgeous Lily Collins. You can see the rest of the casting and get movie news here.

So what about you? Do you get all tingly when your favorite books are made into movies? Are you as fan-girlie as I am about these ones? Are there any books you would sell one of your kidneys to see on the big (or small) screen???

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

If you're in Kennewick, WA (or anywhere nearby), you can come see me tomorrow, August 9th at one of two libraries I'll be visiting for the day. At 7:00PM, I'll be at the Mid-Columbia Libraries’ Kennewick Branch, giving a public presentation, where I'll be talking about my books, how I got started in publishing, and sharing other random (and often embarrassing) facts about myself!

Earlier in the day, I'll be joining Prosser teens and residents for a lunchtime meet-and-greet at Mid-Columbia Libraries’ Prosser Branch. Attendees will get free pizza and a book from my Body Finder series (while supplies last, of course!). Space is limited, so you're encouraged to reserve your free books by pre-registering at (509) 786-2533.

Both events are free and open to the public, thanks to sponsorship by Friends of Mid-Columbia Libraries and Friends of the Prosser Library. And since I don't make it to that side of the state very often, you should totally come say Hi!!!

Monday, August 6, 2012

So, in case you missed it, I did my super-secret reveal of THE ESSENCE synopsis on the YA Scavenger Hunt last week.

BUT...in case you didn't participate in the YA Scavenger Hunt, I thought I'd post it again here...like, now:

Poor child. Poor, wretched child. You have no idea what you’re up against. No idea how to stop me, do you?

Though
it has been months since Charlaina—Charlie—defeated the tyrant Sabara
and took control of the Ludanian crown, Sabara has not disappeared. The old queen’s Essence has fused itself to Charlie’s psyche and is viciously fighting to overpower Charlie.

Balancing her new duties as Queen and
battling both Sabara’s voice and a growing resistance to her rule push Charlie to
the brink of exhaustion. She wants to be the same old Charlie she has
ever been but now she
is Your Majesty.

As Charlie journeys to an annual summit
to meet with the leaders of nearby Queendoms—an event where her ability
to understand all languages is the utmost asset—she is faced with
the ultimate betrayal. And the only person she can turn to for help is the evil soul residing within.

Can I just dork out and say how super excited I am for this book? And that it's less than FIVE MONTHS till it's out????

Monday, July 30, 2012

Not too long ago I posted my Top Ten favorite recent reads. Well, now I'm gonna share those books that are either sitting on my nightstand just beggin' to be read, or that I'm (im)patiently counting down the days for. Also known as: The Top Ten Reasons I Wish I Was A Speed Reader!

INSURGENT by Veronica Roth. DIVERGENT made my recent Top Ten faves, but I still haven't gotten around to INSURGENT, which is sad because I'm D-Y-I-N-G to know what happens next!!! Plus, I totally need more Four!

BEAUTIFUL REDEMPTION by Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia. Okay, so BEAUTIFUL CREATURES makes my faves of all-time list (which I haven't posted yet, but I totally will). This is one of those series you get lost in: the writing, the imagery, the characters (oh, the characters!). Plus, BEAUTIFUL CREATURES is coming to the big screen February 2013, so if you haven't already started then you'd better get on it!

TIGER'S CURSE by Colleen Houck. Yes, everyone's read these books already, but I'm always behind (did you not see the title of the post?!). I adore Colleen. And shapeshifters. And kissing. So I have a feeling this one's right up my alley!

UNSPOKEN and TEAM HUMAN (I'm counting these two titles as one since they're both by Sarah Rees Brennan...although TEAM HUMAN is co-authored by Justine Larbalestier). Oh, how I love me some SRB! She's smart, charming, Irish, and awesomely hilarious!

SPLINTERED by A.G. Howard. Do I really have to say anything? Just look at that cover...

A MILLION SUNS by Beth Revis. I was so enamored by ACROSS THE UNIVERSE that I think I'm sort of afraid to start A MILLION SUNS. Not because it won't live up to the first one, but more because I don't want this series to ever, ever, EVER end. Ever.

UNCONTROLLABLE by S.R. Johannes. I might not be a nature girl, but I loved reading Grace's plight in UNTRACEABLE, and can't wait to see what she'll be up to next!

CINDER by Marissa Meyer. Meyer blends sci-fi with fairy tale, and honestly, what more could a girl want???

DIE FOR ME by Amy Plum. Seriously, another one that's been out forever that I still haven't gotten around to reading, but I totally should. What it has to offer: a Paris backdrop, creatures called Revenants, and, you guessed it, kissing! Ooh-la-la!!!

Monday, July 23, 2012

I’ve noticed one question popping up more and more frequently
during panel and signing Q&A sessions:Are Young Adult books getting
darker?

There seems to be a lot of speculation that YA is beginning
to trend toward the dark side, and it begs the question, are teens really seeking
out darker subject matter?Are authors
trying to see how far is too far? And what, exactly, is the draw for these tender
young readers on the cusp of adulthood?

With the recent surge in dystopians and paranormals in YA,
we’ve seen tributes fight to the death, zombie apocalypses, vampires who will
either love you or rip your throat out, an up-rise in serial killers, and
plagues that have destroyed nearly the entire world’s population.It’s starting to feel as if we’ve reached a
desolate time in young adult literature.

I find this topic endlessly fascinating, the idea that teens
have only just discovered these “dark” topics, or that teens of today are
reading materials that are much more sinister, somehow, than those of the
generations before them. Umm, hold on a moment while I fondly recall curling
beneath the covers and reading Stephen King’s SALEM’S LOT at the ripe old age
of 14 (and those were definitely not the vampires that sparkled).So forgive me if I scoff at the notion of
teens-of-today being more obsessed or fascinated by horror or violence or just
plain ole gore than those of yesteryear (and, ehem, I apologize to those of my
generation for calling it “yesteryear”).Or that they’ve been somehow corrupted by the books that are flooding
the market...books that are indulging this bloodlust.

Honestly, I think what’s really happening here is that
publishers are finally realizing that teens have always been reading this stuff. That before we had a substantial
Young Adult section in bookstores, as teens we were reading Stephen King or Christopher
Pike or Clive Barker...and even, dare I say it, a little Edgar Allen Poe? This
fascination isn’t new. Hell, the subject matter isn’t even new. It’s just the
realization that teens don’t need to be treated with kid gloves; that they can actually
handle it...and that even if it’s not shelved in the YA section, doesn’t mean
that teen readers won’t find the material. Honestly, as a parent, I’m much more
concerned with what they can find on the internet as opposed to in the pages of
a novel.

So what about you, if you’re a teen, what kind books do you
like to read? And if you’re not, who (or what) did you curl up with in your yesteryears???

I, for one, was a pretty eclectic reader...even back then.
Some of my favorite teen reads were The Shining (or pretty much anything by
Stephen King), The Color Purple, Suffer the Children (or anything by John Saul),
To Kill a Mockingbird (still my all-time fave!), and Pride and Prejudice.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

I haven't been reading nearly as much as I'd like lately, but it's really one of my favorite things to do. Shocking, I know! But every now and then I like to put together a list of my favorite recent reads, and summer seems like as good a time as any to post another of these TOP TENS, so here goes (in no particular order!):CARNIVAL OF SOULS by Melissa Marr (Okay, so this one is first because Melissa is beginning to top my list of all-time favorite authors. I love her WICKED LOVELY series, and ditto with GRAVEMINDER, so when I had the chance to read CARNIVAL, I jumped at it. Suffice it to say, I was so not disappointed! This one's out September 4th!)

BLACK HEART by Holly Black (Another fave of mine. Her Curse Workers series has turned her into one of my author crushes and has put her at risk of being kissed on the lips if/when I see her in person again!)

VAMPIRE ACADEMY by Richelle Mead (I am so late to the party in starting this series, but I totally get why it's so hugely popular. I immediately fell in love with Rose's bad-ass, no-nonsense sensibility...and then fell just as hard for Dimitri Belikov with his hot Russian accent. Did I mention he's hot? And Russian???)

VELVETEEN by Danny Marks (Like CARNIVAL OF SOULS, this debut YA is another book that isn't out quite yet--it comes out October 9th. It had everything I love in a book: a creepy serial killer, a ghost hell-bent on revenge, an underworld in the throes of revolution, and a fair amount of kissing!!!You should totally pre-order it now!)

SLIDE by Jill Hathaway (Okay, so I read this one a while back, but it made the list anyway because I really, really loved it. Vee is a narcoleptic who "slides" into other people's bodies and finds herself in the middle of a mystery when she wakes up in a murderer's body. How cool is that? Plus, this is one of those rare books I sorta want to re-read because I loved the character's voice so much. She's so spot-on today's teen. At least the kind of teens in my household: one part snotty brat and one part vulnerable child.)

FRACTURE by Megan Miranda (Another one that I'd read months ago, but still want to rave about for the same reason as SLIDE--loveloveloved the voice. Funny enough, turns out that these two authors are crit partners! You should totally read FRACTURE if you haven't already...I'm still thinking about this one.)

BEFORE I FALL by Lauren Oliver (Since pretty much everyone's already read this, there's not much to say really, except...WOW! This book makes me want to be a better writer.)

SCORPIO RACES by Maggie Stiefvater (Seriously, I'm not sure how she did it, but somehow Stiefvater made killer horses lyrical. Lyrical. I listened to the audio version of this book, and I'm so glad I did. I fell under the spell of both the narrators' voices and the author's writing, and there were several times I missed a turn or spent way too long sitting in my driveway just to keep listening. Beautiful and intense!!!)

THE PROGRAM by Suzanne Young (It's no secret I'm a Suzanne Young fan--I loved A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL! So when an early copy of THE PROGRAM landed in my inbox, I dropped everything to read it. This one's not out till 2013, but I'm telling you it's frightening and sweet and so compelling, you won't be able to put it down!)

DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth (And this is why I said "in no particular order." Divergent was one of the best books I read this year, maybe even this decade! Another one that pretty much everyone's read, but I couldn't very well leave off the list. Seriously, if you haven't already picked this one up, why the frick not???)

And what TOP TEN list would be complete without an eleventh book? I couldn't help myself because I recently read this awesome adult novel (and, no, it wasn't FIFTY SHADES OF GREY!). INTO THE DARKEST CORNER by Elizabeth Haynes is a dark glimpse into a woman's escape from an abusive relationship, the toll it's taken on her, and what happens when that ex comes after her. If I wasn't already checking and double-checking my locks at night, I definitely would be after reading this book!!! (Warning: Not for the faint of heart. Also not for children!)

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Oh, and if you're in Seattle, check out my Events' Page...I'll be signing at the Pacific NW Writer's conference on Friday night. The 8:30 signing is free, open to the public, AND they'll have books for sale if you don't already have them!!!

Saturday, June 30, 2012

Remember when I mentioned how much I love the cover for DEAD SILENCE? I believe I said something about it being my favorite one, or maybe that I wanted to make a dress out of it and wear it around town, or possibly that I was considering running away with my crazy-talented cover designer.

Well, after teasing you with that little tidbit, I’m finally able to share this amazing cover with all of you...